1 Corinthians 8:1 (GNT)Now, concerning what you wrote about food offered to idols. It is true, of course, that "all of us have knowledge," as they say. Such knowledge, however, puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up.

1 Corinthians 8:1 (GNTA)Now, concerning what you wrote about food offered to idols. It is true, of course, that "all of us have knowledge," as they say. Such knowledge, however, puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up.

1 Corinthians 8:1 (MSG)The question keeps coming up regarding meat that has been offered up to an idol: Should you attend meals where such meat is served, or not? We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know to answer these kinds of questions -

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NLT)Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

1 Corinthians 8:1 (WNT)Now as to things which have been sacrificed to idols. This is a subject which we already understand--because we all have knowledge of it. Knowledge, however, tends to make people conceited; it is love that builds us up.

1 Corinthians 8:1 (WYC)But of these things that be sacrificed to idols, we know, for all we have knowing. But knowing bloweth, charity edifieth [Soothly science, or knowing, in-bloweth with pride, charity edifieth].

Commentaries For 1 Corinthians 8

The danger of having a high conceit of knowledge. (1-6) The mischief of offending weak brethren. (7-13)

Verses 1-6 There is no proof of ignorance more common than conceit of knowledge. Much may be known, when nothing is known to good purpose. And those who think they know any thing, and grow vain thereon, are the least likely to make good use of their knowledge. Satan hurts some as much by tempting them to be proud of mental powers, as others, by alluring to sensuality. Knowledge which puffs up the possessor, and renders him confident, is as dangerous as self-righteous pride, though what he knows may be right. Without holy affections all human knowledge is worthless. The heathens had gods of higher and lower degree; gods many, and lords many; so called, but not such in truth. Christians know better. One God made all, and has power over all. The one God, even the Father, signifies the Godhead as the sole object of all religious worship; and the Lord Jesus Christ denotes the person of Emmanuel, God manifest in the flesh, One with the Father, and with us; the appointed Mediator, and Lord of all; through whom we come to the Father, and through whom the Father sends all blessings to us, by the influence and working of the Holy Spirit. While we refuse all worship to the many who are called gods and lords, and to saints and angels, let us try whether we really come to God by faith in Christ.

Verses 7-13 Eating one kind of food, and abstaining from another, have nothing in them to recommend a person to God. But the apostle cautions against putting a stumbling-block in the way of the weak; lest they be made bold to eat what was offered to the idol, not as common food, but as a sacrifice, and thereby be guilty of idolatry. He who has the Spirit of Christ in him, will love those whom Christ loved so as to die for them. Injuries done to Christians, are done to Christ; but most of all, the entangling them in guilt: wounding their consciences, is wounding him. We should be very tender of doing any thing that may occasion stumbling to others, though it may be innocent in itself. And if we must not endanger other men's souls, how much should we take care not to destroy our own! Let Christians beware of approaching the brink of evil, or the appearance of it, though many do this in public matters, for which perhaps they plead plausibly. Men cannot thus sin against their brethren, without offending Christ, and endangering their own souls.

1. Though to those knowing that an idol has no existence, the question of eating meats offered to idols (referred to in the letter of the Corinthians, compare 1 Corinthians 7:1 ) might seem unimportant, it is not so with some, and the infirmities of such should be respected. The portions of the victims not offered on the altars belonged partly to the priests, partly to the offerers; and were eaten at feasts in the temples and in private houses and were often sold in the markets; so that Christians were constantly exposed to the temptation of receiving them, which was forbidden ( Numbers 25:2 , Psalms 106:28 ). The apostles forbade it in their decree issued from Jerusalem ( Acts 15:1-29 , 21:25 ); but Paul does not allude here to that decree, as he rests his precepts rather on his own independent apostolic authority. we know that we all have knowledge--The Corinthians doubtless had referred to their "knowledge" (namely, of the indifference of meats, as in themselves having no sanctity or pollution). Paul replies, "We are aware that we all have [speaking generally, and so far as Christian theory goes; for in 1 Corinthians 8:7 he speaks of some who practically have not] this knowledge." Knowledge puffeth up--when without "love." Here a parenthesis begins; and the main subject is resumed in the same words, 1 Corinthians 8:4 . "As concerning [touching] therefore the eating," &c. "Puffing up" is to please self. "Edifying" is to please one's neighbor; Knowledge only says, All things are lawful for me; Love adds, But all things do not edify [BENGEL], ( 1 Corinthians 10:23 , Romans 14:15 ). edifieth--tends to build up the spiritual temple ( 1 Corinthians 3:9 , 6:19 ).

2. And--omitted in the oldest manuscripts The absence of the connecting particle gives an emphatical sententiousness to the style, suitable to the subject. The first step to knowledge is to know our own ignorance. Without love there is only the appearance of knowledge. knoweth--The oldest manuscripts read a Greek word implying personal experimental acquaintance, not merely knowledge of a fact, which the Greek of "we know" or are aware ( 1 Corinthians 8:1 ) means. as he ought to know--experimentally and in the way of "love."

4. As concerning, &c.--resuming the subject begun in 1 Corinthians 8:1 , "As touching," &c. idol is nothing--has no true being at all, the god it represents is not a living reality. This does not contradict 1 Corinthians 10:20 , which states that they who worship idols, worship devils; for here it is the GODS believed by the worshippers to be represented by the idols which are denied to have any existence, not the devils which really under the idols delude the worshippers. none other God--The oldest manuscripts omit the word "other"; which gives a clearer sense.

6. to us--believers. of whom--from whom as Creator all things derive their existence. we in him--rather, "we for Him," or "unto Him." God the FATHER is the end for whom and for whose glory believers live. In Colossians 1:16 all things are said to be created (not only "by" Christ, but also) "for Him" (CHRIST). So entirely are the Father and Son one (compare Romans 11:36 , Hebrews 2:10 ). one Lord--contrasted with the "many lords" of heathendom ( 1 Corinthians 8:5 ). by whom--( John 1:3 , Hebrews 1:2 ). we by him--as all things are "of" the Father by creation, so they (we believers especially) are restored to Him by the new creation ( Colossians 1:20 , Revelation 21:5 ). Also, as all things are by Christ by creation, so they (we especially) are restored by Him by the new creation.

7. Howbeit--Though to us who "have knowledge" ( 1 Corinthians 8:11 Corinthians 8:4-6 ) all meats are indifferent, yet "this knowledge is not in all" in the same degree as we have it. Paul had admitted to the Corinthians that "we all have knowledge" ( 1 Corinthians 8:1 ), that is, so far as Christian theory goes; but practically some have it not in the same degree. with conscience--an ancient reading; but other very old manuscripts read "association" or "habit." In either reading the meaning is: Some Gentile Christians, whether from old association of ideas or misdirected conscience, when they ate such meats, ate them with some feeling as if the idol were something real ( 1 Corinthians 8:4 ), and had changed the meats by the fact of the consecration into something either holy or else polluted. unto this hour--after they have embraced Christianity; an implied censure, that they are not further advanced by this time in Christian "knowledge." their conscience . . . is defiled--by their eating it "as a thing offered to idols." If they ate it unconscious at the time that it had been offered to idols, there would be no defilement of conscience. But conscious of what it was, and not having such knowledge as other Corinthians boasted of, namely, that an idol is nothing and can therefore neither pollute nor sanctify meats, they by eating them sin against conscience (compare Romans 14:15-23 ). It was on the ground of Christian expediency, not to cause a stumbling-block to "weak" brethren, that the Jerusalem decree against partaking of such meats (though indifferent in themselves) was passed ( Acts 15:1-29 ). Hence he here vindicates it against the Corinthian asserters of an inexpedient liberty.

8. Other old manuscripts read, "Neither if we do not eat, are we the better: neither if we eat are we the worse": the language of the eaters who justified their eating thus [LACHMANN]. In English Version Paul admits that "meat neither presents [so the Greek for 'commendeth'] us as commended nor as disapproved before God": it does not affect our standing before God ( Romans 14:6 ).

9. this liberty of yours--the watchword for lax Corinthians. The very indifference of meats, which I concede, is the reason why ye should "take heed" not to tempt weak brethren to act against their conscience (which constitutes sin, Romans 14:22Romans 14:23 ).

10. if any man--being weak. which hast knowledge--The very knowledge which thou pridest thyself on ( 1 Corinthians 8:1 ), will lead the weak after thy example to do that against his conscience, which thou doest without any scruple of conscience; namely, to eat meats offered to idols. conscience of him which is weak--rather, "His conscience, seeing he is weak" [ALFORD and others]. emboldened--literally, "built up." You ought to have built up your brother in good: but by your example your building him up is the emboldening him to violate his conscience.

11. shall . . . perish--The oldest manuscripts read "perisheth." A single act seemingly unimportant may produce everlasting consequences. The weak brother loses his faith, and if he do not recover it, his salvation [BENGEL] ( Romans 14:23 ). for whom Christ died--and for whose sake we too ought to be willing to die ( 1 John 3:16 ). And yet professing Christians at Corinth virtually tempted their brethren to their damnation, so far were they from sacrificing. aught for their salvation. Note here, that it is no argument against the dogma that Christ died for all, even for those who perish, to say that thus He would have died in vain for many. Scripture is our rule, not our suppositions as to consequences. More is involved in redemption than the salvation of man: the character of God as at once just and loving is vindicated even in the case of the lost for they might have been saved, and so even in their case Christ has not died in vain. So the mercies of God's providence are not in vain, though many abuse them. Even the condemned shall manifest God's love in the great day, in that they too had the offer of God's mercy. It shall be the most awful ingredient in their cup that they might have been saved but would not: Christ died to redeem even them.

12. wound their weak conscience--literally, "smite their conscience, being (as yet) in a weak state." It aggravates the cruelty of the act that it is committed on the weak, just as if one were to strike an invalid.against Christ--on account of the sympathy between Christ and His members ( Matthew 25:40 , Acts 9:4Acts 9:5 ).

13. meat--Old English for "food" in general. make . . . to offend--Greek, "is a stumbling-block to." no flesh--In order to ensure my avoiding flesh offered to idols, I would abstain from all kinds of flesh, in order not to be a stumbling-block to my brother.